1954 Ford F-100 - High Interest '54

Every custom truck project, like most things in life, starts out with expectations that may not be met by the time it's done. Jim Eubanks of Oxnard, California, knows about that. He probably didn't expect to be a single father raising his son, Jim Jr., by himself. As a lifelong fan of classic cars and trucks, especially the 1953-55 F-100 slant cab pickups, he thought that a truck build would be a cool father/son project.

"I found the truck back in the mid 1990s. During my lunch hour, I used to ride my bike and go exploring. One day, I saw the most beautiful sight sitting in a rental yard, so I decided to check it out. What I found was a 1954 F-100 cab with the doors strapped to the frame with bungee cords. The rest was in boxes...lots of boxes. The hood, fenders, bed—everything—was rusted and damaged beyond belief. There was no engine or transmission. Rats were living in the bench seat. But I had to have it. So I paid the guy $300, rented a trailer, and hauled the F-100 home to Oxnard. As I was driving down the freeway, all I could see in my rearview mirror was the F-100 swaying back and forth, and the doors opening and closing!"

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The father/son project didn't catch on like Jim expected, and plans for the build-up were put aside. Then life took another turn. "I got remarried to a beautiful woman [Mary] with a great stepson [Jeff]. The boys would hear my stories of how I was going to fix up the truck. All they can remember is pushing a rust bucket from one house to the next. Finally Mary told me to either fix it or get rid of it. That's all I needed to hear."

Starting with a rust bucket made figuring out the first step easy. It wasn't a fun step, but once Jim had the sheetmetal repaired, he could begin making actual improvements. Devin Thompson at Cal Custom in Camarillo, California, got involved with the bodywork. The most noticeable exterior modification is front and center, where the 1954 grille was exchanged for a 1956. The factory hood was rehinged to tilt forward and was cleaned up by shaving all badging. The cowl vent was filled, and a smoothed firewall, inner fenders, and running boards were created. The fuel filler tube was removed from the stock location at the rear of the cab. The bed and tailgate—and bumpers, headlights, taillights, and glass—are original, but Jim replaced the bed floor with oak.

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Devin widened the rear fenders to fit when dropped over the 20x10 Billet Specialties wheels. Rail five-spokes from the Profile collection are matched with low-profile high-performance 275/35ZR20 Hankook Ventus V12 evo tires. The front fenders are similarly stuffed with 20x8 wheels and 245/35/ZR20 tires. Fourteen-inch Wilwood discs have no trouble bringing the truck to a halt when Jim steps on the brake pedal.

When the bodywork was done, the 1954 rolled into the Cal Custom spray booth. Devin used House of Kolor Shimrin Razberry Pearl to achieve a great-looking monochrome paintjob.

Dropping the body low over the factory frame while improving ride quality and handling is accomplished with front and rear RideTech air shocks. The boxed 'rails were modified with a new Total Cost Involved Engineering Mustang II style frontend. A Currie Enterprises 9-inch rearend is packed with 3.75:1 gears with a limited-slip differential.

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There was probably never a doubt in Jim's mind that his F-100 would continue to run Ford power. Sure enough, the 1954 is now hauled along by a Ford Motorsports 302 engine, built by Jim Bassett and the crew at Bones Fab in Camarillo. The engine was bored and stroked to 347ci. The cylinders were loaded with 10:1 SRP pistons and topped with Ford GT40 heads. A PerTronix Flame-Thrower HEI system ignites fuel and air delivered by a 650-cfm Edelbrock carburetor and Performer manifold. Exhaust exits through Ford racing headers. A March Performance serpentine pulley arrangement and power steering pump dress things up at the front. The 400hp engine is backed up by a perfect-for-cruising Ford AOD transmission built by Bones Fab and paired with a Continental torque converter.

The stock interior of a mid-1950s Effie is as basic as it gets, but Jim's '54 was converted from plain to plain awesome. The dash was kept simple, but modified with integrated air vents and a Classic Instruments five-gauge set occupying the factory location. The Billet Specialties Rail steering wheel is mounted on an ididit column.

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The cab was upholstered by Jose Villacorta at JB Custom Interiors in Camarillo. Rather than evict the rats, Jose replaced the original bench seat with Chevy Tahoe buckets covered in Porsche leather. Chocolate suede contrasts the smooth cork-colored leather in the door panels and elsewhere. Mercedes carpeting covers the floor. Controls for airbags, stereo, and Vintage Air A/C were installed in the custom center console. The JVC Kameleon KD-AVX77 receiver is wired to 6- and 9-inch Infinity speakers.

Jim probably didn't expect the former rust bucket 1954 to turn out this well, or that it would be 15 years before he would get to drive it. But it did take that long and it turned out great. Most importantly, Jim and Mary are having fun driving it. They take the truck to local events—like the Burbank Road Kings car show where we found it—and to visit Jim or Jeff, who are grown now. "It is just one fun truck," Jim told us. "The best $300 I ever spent!"